Governor’s Faith-Based & Community Initiative and TDOC unite to mobilize volunteers, increase public safety
NASHVILLE - Thirty years ago, Governor Bill Lee began volunteering inside Tennessee state prisons. Through the nonprofit Men of Valor, he mentored men in TDOC custody – lending his time to coach, listen, and walk alongside them on their journey through incarceration. It was an experience that he said changed his life, altered his perspective, and profoundly shaped his view on rehabilitation and reentry.
“I walked into that prison and, beginning that night, I was a changed person,” Lee said. “It gave me a whole new appreciation for who is in our facilities and how they came to be there.”
After witnessing the challenges faced by the men and their desire for positive change, a passion was ignited within him for supporting successful reentry, and three decades later, it remains a cornerstone of his administration. At the Debra K. Johnson Rehabilitation Center, he joined TDOC Commissioner Frank Strada to welcome 40 new mentors to the Volunteer Mentorship Initiative (VMI) - a program aimed at supporting those returning to society from incarceration.
“When we talk about reentry, I always say it’s a three-pronged approach: the offender has to be motivated to change, the Department of Correction has to provide meaningful programming, and finally – the community has to be willing to accept them back,” Commissioner Frank Strada told the mentors. “Your role here and the responsibility you’re willing to take to be a mentor is very important. As Commissioner, I’m grateful you’re willing to come to our institutions and provide this service, because we can’t do it alone.”
To participate, inmates must be within two years of release and mentors must commit to at least one monthly contact during incarceration. Additionally, mentors must commit to maintaining contact for 12 months following their mentee’s release from prison.
Studies show that community volunteer programs in prisons, especially those that offer social support through mentoring and reentry resources, are linked to reduced recidivism. In Tennessee, the number of volunteer hours recorded in state facilities this year has reached a new record and can be attributed, in part, to programs like the VMI that mobilize community and faith-based organizations to support offenders, both before and after their release.
“The Volunteer Mentorship Initiative shows what happens when everyday Tennesseans join faith and community partners to walk alongside those returning from incarceration with hope, accountability, and belonging. Every volunteer mentor is proof that transformation happens person to person, and that Tennessee is at its best when we lead with both conviction and compassion,” Lance Villio, Executive Director of the Governor’s Faith-Based and Community Initiative, said.
In the coming weeks, the new mentors will be matched with an inmate at either the Debra K. Johson Rehabilitation Center or the Lois M. DeBerry Special Needs Facility.
“These offenders - who you will come to know - you’ll change their life forever,” Lee said, in closing. “You are the link between where they are today and where they’re going to be.”
To watch the video of the event, click here: Over fifty Tennesseans complete Volunteer Mentorship training. For more information about volunteer opportunities with the Tennessee Department of Correction, or to sign up to volunteer, visit tn.gov/correction.
Pictured left to right: Executive Director of the Governor’s Faith-Based and Community Initiative Lance Villio, TDOC Commissioner Frank Strada, Governor Bill Lee, TDOC Assistant Commissioner Gail Fenkell